[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 78 (Friday, April 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18740-18741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-9384]



[[Page 18740]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Proposed New Information Collection for Donor 
Certification Form

AGENCY: Office of Conservation, Partnerships & Management Policy, 
Assistant Secretary--Policy, Management and Budget, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Conservation, Partnerships & 
Management Policy announces that it has submitted a request for 
approval of a new information collection to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB), and requests public comments on this submission.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection request, but may respond after 30 days; therefore, public 
comments should be submitted to OMB by May 26, 2009, in order to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments by facsimile 202-395-5806 or e-
mail ([email protected]) to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: 
Department of the Interior Desk Officer (1090-XXXX). Also, please send 
a copy of your comments to Beth Duff, Office of Conservation, 
Partnerships & Management Policy, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS 
5123-MIB, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, or send an e-mail 
to [email protected]. Additionally, you may fax them to her at 
202-208-7574. Individuals providing comments should reference Donor 
Certification Form.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and 
associated collection instrument, please write to Beth Duff, Office of 
Conservation, Partnerships & Management Policy, U.S. Department of the 
Interior, MS 5123-MIB, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, or 
call her at 202-208-5904, or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Abstract

    Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, 
which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), 
require that interested members of the public and affected agencies 
have an opportunity to comment on information collection and 
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies 
an information collection activity that the Office of Conservation, 
Partnerships & Management Policy has submitted to OMB for approval for 
the Department and its bureaus to collect information from proposed 
donors relative to their relationship(s) with the Department. The 
Department and its individual bureaus all have gift acceptance 
authority. In support of the variety of donation authorities in the 
Department and increasing numbers of donations, it is the policy of the 
Department to ask those proposing to donate gifts valued at $25,000 or 
more to provide information regarding their relationship with the 
Department. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the acceptance 
of a gift does not create legal or ethical issues for the Department, 
its bureaus, or potential donors. The information will be gathered 
through the use of a new form.
    If this information were not collected from the prospective donor, 
the Department will have to collect the information. The information 
will be scattered throughout the Department. With eight major bureaus, 
2,500 locations and 70,000 employees, it is not possible to collect the 
information about a particular donor in a timely manner to respond to a 
proposed donation. Having the donor certify his interactions with the 
Department gives the staff reviewing the proposed donation basic 
information.

II. Method of Collection

    Individuals notifying the Department or one of its bureaus of a 
proposed offer of a gift valued at $25,000 or higher will be asked to 
submit a form listing several items of basic information.
    (1) Title: Donor Certification Form.

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         Information collected                Reason for collection
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Name, and indication whether executing   To identify the donor, and
 in an individual capacity, or on         whether the donor is acting
 behalf of an organization.               individually or on behalf of
                                          an organization.
Declaration whether the donor is         To assist the Department in
 involved with litigation or              determining whether there are
 controversy with the Department.         any issues associated with the
                                          proffer of the gift that need
                                          to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether the donor is         To assist the Department in
 engaged in any financial or business     determining whether there are
 relationship with the Department.        any issues associated with the
                                          proffer of the gift that need
                                          to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether the donor has been   To assist the Department in
 debarred, excluded or disqualified       determining whether there are
 from the nonprocurement common rule,     any issues associated with the
 or otherwise declared ineligible from    proffer of the gift that need
 doing business with any Federal          to be more closely examined.
 government agency.
Declaration as to whether the donation   To assist the Department in
 is expected to be involved with          determining whether there are
 marketing or advertising.                any issues associated with the
                                          proffer of the gift that need
                                          to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether the donor is         To assist the Department in
 seeking to attach conditions to the      determining whether there are
 donation.                                any issues associated with the
                                          proffer of the gift that need
                                          to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether this proposed        To assist the Department in
 donation is or is not part of a series   determining the scope and
 of donations to the Department.          context of the donation, and
                                          to assist in determining
                                          whether there are any issues
                                          associated with the proffer of
                                          the gift that need to be more
                                          closely examined.
Signature, Printed Name, Date,           To establish the contact
 Organization, E-mail address, City,      information of the potential
 State, Zip, and daytime or work phone    donor, and have the certifier
 number.                                  sign the certification form.
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[[Page 18741]]

    The proposed use of the information: The information collected will 
be used by the Department and its bureaus to assist them in properly 
considering proposed donations to the Department or to its bureaus in 
the amount of $25,000 or more. The information on the form, in 
conjunction with other information which may be known to one or more 
offices in the Department, will assist the Department in its efforts to 
maintain its integrity, impartiality, and the confidence of the public, 
in accepting donations.

III. Data

    (1) Title: Donor Certification Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1090-XXXX.
    Type of Review: Information Collection: New.
    Affected Entities: Individuals or households, Businesses, Not-for-
profit institutions, Units of Government.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 552.
    Frequency of Response: Upon donation, generally no more than annual
    (2) Annual reporting and recordkeeping burden:
    Estimated Number of Responses Annually: 552.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 20 minutes.
    Total Annual Reporting: 184 hours.
    (3) Description of the need and use of the information: This 
information will provide Department staff with the basis for beginning 
the evaluation as to whether the Department will accept the proposed 
donation. The authorized employee will receive the donor certification 
form with the proposed donation. The employee will then review the 
totality of circumstances surrounding the proposed donation to 
determine whether the Department can accept the donation and maintain 
its integrity, impartiality, and public confidence.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on the collection of information was published on 
September 26, 2008 (73 FR 55862). No comments were received. This 
notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to 
comment on the proposed information collection activity.

IV. Request for Comments

    The Department of the Interior invites comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
collection and the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide 
information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed 
to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize 
technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able 
to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, to 
complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or 
otherwise disclose the information.
    All written comments, with names and addresses, will be available 
for public inspection. If you wish us to withhold your personal 
information, you must prominently state at the beginning of your 
comment what personal information you want us to withhold. We will 
honor your request to the extent allowable by law. If you wish to view 
any comments received, you may do so by scheduling an appointment with 
the Office of Conservation, Partnerships & Management Policy at the 
above address. A valid picture identification is required for entry 
into the Department of the Interior.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget control number.

    Dated: April 17, 2009.
Beth L. Duff,
Office of Conservation, Partnerships and Management Policy.
[FR Doc. E9-9384 Filed 4-23-09; 8:45 am]
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